Perez, Mets reach preliminary US$36m deal

NATIONAL LEAGUE

AP, NEW YORK

Oliver Perez and the New York Mets reached a preliminary agreement Monday on a US$36 million, three-year contract.

The deal is subject to the pitcher passing a physical, two people familiar with the talks said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the agreement wasn’t final. The physical was scheduled for yesterday.

New York had offered Derek Lowe — another client of agent Scott Boras — a US$36 million, three-year contract, but Lowe accepted a US$60 million, five-year offer from Atlanta. In addition to Lowe, the Mets also held talks with agents for Tim Redding and Randy Wolf, and agreed with Redding on a US$2.25 million, one-year deal.

With the agreement, the Mets’ projected rotation includes Johan Santana, John Maine, Perez, Mike Pelfrey and either Redding, Freddy Garcia or Jon Niese. New York has not ruled out re-signing Pedro Martinez, but hasn’t appeared interested in bringing him back.

■ SELIG GOT US$3M RAISE

AP, NEW YORK

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig made more than all but three of his sport’s players in 2007.

Selig received a raise of about US$3 million to nearly US$17.5 million that year, Major League Baseball’s (MLB) latest tax return shows.

His compensation was listed at US$17,470,491 for the 12 months that ended on Oct. 31, 2007, according to the return, which is available at guidestar.org. That was up from US$14,515,071 in the prior 12 months.

Selig’s pay was first reported by the Sports Business Journal.

In 2007, the only players who received higher cash compensation were a trio of the Yankees: Alex Rodriguez at US$23 million (plus US$4 million deferred), Derek Jeter at US$22 million (including a US$2 million payment as part of his signing bonus) and Jason Giambi at US$21.5 million (including a US$500,000 payment as part of his signing bonus). Roger Clemens fell just short at US$17,442,637.

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